Soviet chess legend claims millions from Netflix for sexism
Steph Deschamps / September 17, 2021
Netflix brazenly and deliberately lied about Gaprindachvili's success, reads a copy of the complaint obtained by AFP. In the series, broadcast by the California-based platform, a character claims that the Georgian champion has never faced men in competition.
This allegation is patently false, as well as grossly sexist and disparaging, the complaint, filed Thursday in a California court, said.
Gaprindashvili's complaint recalls that she, now 80, has played dozens of top male players and beaten 28 of them in her career.
Adding insult to injury, Netflix describes Gaprindashvili as Russian, when they know that she is Georgian and that Georgians suffered from Russian domination when they were part of the Soviet Union, adds the champion's defense.
In a statement, Netflix said it had the utmost respect for Ms. Gaprindashvili and her illustrious career, but considered that this complaint has no basis. The platform added that it would defend itself vigorously.
Born in 1941 in Zugdidi, western Georgia, Nona Gaprindashvili has been playing chess since she was 13. In 1977, she became the first female chess grandmaster in history.
She won the women's world championship at the age of 20 and successfully defended her title four times, before losing her crown in 1978 to another 17-year-old Georgian, Maia Chibourdanidze.
According to Netflix, The Queen's Gambit broke records with 62 million views in 28 days after its release.